Article: My First Cruise: Would I Book Another One?

[AFF Editor]

My First Cruise: Would I Book Another One? is an article written by Stephanie from the AFF editorial team:

My First Cruise: Would I Book Another One?

My first time on a cruise was a four-day trip to the Whitsundays on the Carnival Encounter. Here are my thoughts on whether I'd do it again.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

 

[simmomelb]

If you don't have kids, Virgin Voyages would be your best bet. As someone without kids, I went with a group of friends, and it was an absolute blast, with a ship clearly built for adults and not kids.
Will look to do a Mediterranean cruise with them next.
For me, I wouldn't consider a ship with kids on board, that's just not for me, for others, this could be very different.

 

[drron]

Personally I wouldn’t judge cruising on one Carnival experience. There are many different types of cruises out there.
Expedition cruising is totally different and has a younger demographic than the big cruise ships. But also some destinations that you just need to cruise for the full experience such as Antartica.

 

[wombatpatties]

My first cruise was NZ for 12 days. I didn’t want to leave, it was a blast from day one. Not many children, and food was delicious. Even our assigned waiter whenever he saw me would say “plenty of your dessert tonight!” It was a Princess cruise, and so very sad they berth at Sydney now, not Melbourne.
Our next is a Royal Caribbean cruise, to NZ, celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary. Cruising is for me.

 

[odysseus]

Lots of differences between cruises, as much as with hotels or flights.

Nothing wrong with that experience, but it doesn't represent all cruises either.

 

[Pushka]

Personally I wouldn’t judge cruising on one Carnival experience. There are many different types of cruises out there.
Expedition cruising is totally different and has a younger demographic than the big cruise ships. But also some destinations that you just need to cruise for the full experience such as Antartica.

Have to agree. Carnival has never been on my ship list. I don't think I've ever clicked on any of their offerings. And a four dayer in Australia is not something I'd do unless part of a very large group. Like AFF'ers. But I think a Carnival ship was in berth in Sydney yesterday when the whale did its show.

 

[AuSammy]

There’s cruiselines and then there’s cruiselines. Each usually aimed at a target market segment and/or experience.

A fair few to choose from. And I have been on several.

Carnival however has deliberately never been on my list to consider.

 

[Portsoft]

My First Cruise: Would I Book Another One? is an article written by Stephanie from the AFF editorial team:

My First Cruise: Would I Book Another One?

My first time on a cruise was a four-day trip to the Whitsundays on the Carnival Encounter. Here are my thoughts on whether I'd do it again.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

I went as a Solo traveler on a Tripadeal tour/ cruise of the Arabian Gulf in Feb 24 the cruise liner was new and the bed was great. However as I don't drink and I'm not a sun worshipper I found the 1 day we were at sea for the full day somewhat less interesting.
So I won't do that again

 

[wombatpatties]

I went as a Solo traveler on a Tripadeal tour/ cruise of the Arabian Gulf in Feb 24 the cruise liner was new and the bed was great. However as I don't drink and I'm not a sun worshipper I found the 1 day we were at sea for the full day somewhat less interesting.
So I won't do that again

Find the library, get a massage or beauty treatment, take some craftwork with you if you’re inclined.

 

[Portsoft]

Find the library, get a massage or beauty treatment, take some craftwork with you if you’re inclined.

I did have a tour of that area but the cost of a massage was outrageous and no beauty treatment would do me any good lol... and I am not crafty enough for that

 

[wombatpatties]

I did have a tour of that area but the cost of a massage was outrageous and no beauty treatment would do me any good lol... and I am not crafty enough for that

Oh come on, no one is that bad. There’s nothing better than wearing a tiny g string, and you are covered with a gorgeous seaweed wrap, cocooned in a wrap, and dreaming of whatever! Save your money for just that, it’s worth it! Trust me.

 

[Portsoft]

Oh come on, no one is that bad. There’s nothing better than wearing a tiny g string, and you are covered with a gorgeous seaweed wrap, cocooned in a wrap, and dreaming of whatever! Save your money for just that, it’s worth it! Trust me.

Lol, Given that I am a Senior Citizen none of that is likely or possible

 

[tgh]

First cruise.. well gee.. er.. ummm..that was about..er...um…forty five years ago….
I really don't remember much about it save that we have partaken many many cruises since…so..I guess it was ok...

 

[clifford]

I think that cruise ships are destroying many places of interest and historical significance, such as Venice, and making it more difficult for regular travellers who just want to appreciate somewhere for what it is. Day stays, disgorging thousand of peope to some idyllic spot isn't going to improve the quality of life for the locals or anyone else but the big companies involved.

And yes, I have been on a one and only cruise, and never again.

 

[drron]

But Venice gets 1.5 million cruise ship visitors per year whilst overall 30 million tourists per year. Cruise ships account just 5% of the numbers but most of the blame.
How about blaming airlines especially LCCs. And what about AirBNB. Not only brings tourists in but reduces accommodation options for locals.

Besides large cruise ships which includes most with 500 or more passages can't enter the Venice Lagoon so mny cruise ship passengers no longer take the excursions into Venice itself.

 

[Lockyer Man]

As has been mentioned, there are cruise ships and cruise lines in abundance and a lot with vastly different offerings than what has been portrayed in this article. As a very frequent traveller, holiday taker, travel organiser and cruiser, this article does not do cruising justice at all. The article is a limp introduction to a massive ship that does not do cruising justice. I feel the article would have been much better if the writer had cruised on a total different experience such as Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn or Silver Seas as they could have then provided a balanced experience to readers instead of basis the article on an ‘introduction to cruising’ which actually is nothing like cruising on other cruise lines.

As for cruise line loyalty programmes, these should never be equated to airline loyalty programmes as they are not the same beast at all and are really only there to entice passengers back to the same cruise line but the benefits take many cruises to acquire any real benefit.

 

[VPS]

I don’t think that the cruise the author took is indicative of cruising in general

Personally, I love cruising but I doubt that you could’ve got me on board that ship

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I've sailed all kinds of cruises and I love them all. I can even appreciate a Carnival short party cruise. I love being at sea.

Very much looking forward to a transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2 in a few months!